Fitbit targets smartwatch mass market with new Versa device

Fitbit Versa will cost $200 Dollars for the black with a black aluminum case, gray with a silver aluminum case, and peach with a rose gold case, while The Fitbit Versa Special Editions - which include Fitbit Pay compatibility - are priced at $230. That is not the only thing Fitbit is banking on though. Indie smartwatch fans were screwed by the shutdown-their e-ink watches doomed to junk drawers once support lapsed-but there was reason to believe that Pebble, or at least its essence, could one day rise from the dead.

Fitbit is looking to rectify this with its second smartwatch. I would like another Pebble-a gorgeous smartwatch that lasts for days, has a healthy selection of apps, and isn't sized to fit the wrist of a seven foot tall, 300-pound football player.

For starters, the bezel is much thinner around the display.

Fitbit itself will also offer bands. Fitbit also announced a new smartwatch, the Fitbit Versa, priced at £199.99. It's a device for serious athletes that don't mind paying a premium price to get the most top-of-the-line features.

One big omission compared to the Ionic  youll need to bring your own Global Positioning System. This means you'll need to keep a paired smartphone in tow to use the Connected GPS option for more accurate distance and route mapping of outdoor workouts.

Otherwise, when it comes to specs the Versa is very similar to the Ionic. The sensor has the potential to track blood oxygen levels, which can be applied to monitoring health conditions such as sleep apnoea. The app will also let them vet the friends they add for competing fitness goals and limit the information kids see on their own app, if they device. You'll get a three-month Deezer trial with the Versa.

Both models will be available worldwide in April 2018 through Amazon, Best Buy, Kohl's, Macy's, Target, Verizon, and Walmart. Fitbit Ace will track kids' sleep and activity, but will not show information such as calorie burn or body fat percentage. The Fitbit Versa Special Edition will be available for Rs. 21,999.

So what's good or new about Fitbit Versa? It will help women track their menstrual cycles, view holistic health data in one place, and better understand connections to their overall health, the company says.

So now you'll be able to record your menstrual cycle.

The Fitbit Versa is the company's effort to reach a larger audience with their devices - with a particular focus on women. If interested in that, you can learn more here. It's a small but helpful tweak. The wearable is available in a slim, wristband style more akin to traditional Fitbit trackers than a smartwatch and ships in electric blue or power purple options for just $99.95. Those numbers are a little misleading for United Kingdom users, where none of the major high-street banks now support the payment platform.

Fitbit hopes more big name apps will flock to the platform soon too, so expect further apps and watch faces to appear on the gallery in the future.

Fitbit OS 2.0 will also add the ability to reply to messages directly from your wrist, but only on Android.

It has numerous same features as the Ionic, and some new ones, too.

The Fitibit Versa promises 4 days of battery life, the battery takes just two hours to charge fully. It actually resembles an Apple Watch.

Fitbit's move to a younger market is not the first for a fitness tracker. This arguably makes it a more tempting proposition for those not dissuaded by the design differences.

We'll put the battery through its paces when we get the Versa on our wrists for the full review.